The Blue Diamond
by reststillunwritten
Summary: Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler have a complicated relationship. Adding Moriarty to the mix might just be too dangerous. Rated MA because Sherlock is too hot to be asexual. Trying a long story. If it gets boring just say so and I'll kill everyone ;-
1. Chapter 1

The taxi left Sherlock at the door of 221b Baker Street. As soon as he stepped out of it he realized something was wrong. The curtain of the leaving room was slightly opened and he was sure he had left it closed when he left for Scotland Yard to give his deposition to Lestrade on the case he had solved last night.

John hadn't come back from work yet and Mrs. Hudson was refusing to clean the flat while there were body parts in it, and there still were.

Conclusion: someone else had broke into the flat and moved the curtain.

He entered carefully, trying to determine if whoever broke in was still there. Then he heard the sound of a spoon hitting china and knew there was someone there. Unfortunately, he had left his gun in the apartment.

He turned the knob slowly and pushed the door open, waiting for someone to jump on him. He was prepared for that. But nothing happened and when he looked inside the flat he saw a woman sitting at the table with a cup of tea in front of her. She had light brown straight hair that felt in layers to her shoulder. When she turned her big hazel eyes in his direction he recognized Irene Adler.

"Oh, hi." She said with a smile. "Hope you don't mind. I helped myself with a cup of tea, I didn't know how long you would take to came home."

Sherlock looked around looking for accomplices that could be hiding ready to jump and restrain him. There was no one else though. For a split second he couldn't understand. She was alone, inside his flat, completely at his mercy. He was at the door, there was no escape, except the window, but he didn't think she would jump. Something wasn't right.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I had to come to London for business and I thought I'd stop by to see you." She said standing up and walking slowly in his direction.

His muscles tensed and he got prepared to restrain her if she tried anything suspicious.

"What kind of business?"

"Talking to a director about a movie part."

He snorted. "What's the real business?" He knew acting was a cover up to her real job: thievery and conning.

She looked away and smiled amused. "Seriously, just the movie this time." She was in front of him now, looking up to him.

Sherlock could smell her perfume. Floral, jasmine and roses, with hints of peppermint and vanilla. Exotic. Intoxicating.

"You'll forgive me if I don't believe a word that comes out of your mouth. Experience." He said, sarcastic, trying to ignore the feeling of being pulled inside those hazel eyes and the fact that his heart began to race inside his chest.

"Of course." She said giving shoulders. "Are you working any cases?"

"If you're here to break the law, yes."

"Since I'm not..." She then pulled his head with her right hand and kissed him softly on the lips.

He was taken by surprise not only by her action but also by his own reaction. A shiver like an electric bolt ran down his spine. His heart began pounding inside his chest and his whole body began to tingle. Although he didn't move, he opened his mouth to kiss her back and felt the blood flowing to his head and to his member, making him feel the discomfort of sexual excitement.

She broke the kiss and looked at him victoriously. He just stared back confused.

"Where is your bedroom?" She asked in a whisper, looking up at the stairs behind him.

"Why?" He asked.

She giggled. "Thought you were a master of deduction." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the stairs. "Come on." She said.

He let himself be pulled a few steps then he stopped and forced her to look at him.

He wanted to say something but nothing came out of his mouth. He wanted to say that he knew this was a trick; that she was playing him and it was not going to work. He would not let her escape this time. If he could just shut down his bloody hormones, he would be able to hold her down and decide his next move. He decided to stop breathing so her perfume would not continue to inebriate him.

The problem was her taste was lingering in his mouth and he wanted more. The drug addict that he was had just found a knew drug to crave for.

She pulled his hands to her waist and held his head with both her hands. "Don't worry." She said looking deeply inside his eyes and giving him the most warming and sincere smile he had ever seen. "I won't go anywhere. See, you caught me."

When she said that he began to breath again and moved up to kissed her deeply, pushing her into his bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

Irene rested her head on Sherlock's chest and fell asleep. He couldn't believe it. Her breathing and her pulse were of someone sleeping. You couldn't fake that. And yet, maybe _she_ could fake that. She was lowering her guard to make him believe he could lower his too. He wouldn't though. He had underestimated her too many times already. This didn't change anything.

He concentrated on controlling his desire. That was his obsession at the moment. Understand the reach of this desire and how he would be able to control it. He imagined that since they've spent the most part of the night having sex he would be satisfied now and his body reactions would be easier to control. He could control his body to not fall asleep even considering his physical exhaustion, how could he not control that desire. There should be a way. There had to be a way.

He wanted to stay in there for another day exploring this new drug and it's influences on him, but he wasn't sure if he could keep her in there for that long. The problem with that new drug was that it had a mind of its on and a very annoying and unpredictable mind that was.

She had already fallen asleep. When she woke up she would be hungry and would probably want to leave the room.

He didn't wanted to loose sight of her, because he knew that as soon as she was off his surveillance she would do something illegal and he would have to bring her down. If he didn't, someone, someday might, and he would not have anyone else catching her.

All other reasons for not letting her go were irrational and he forced himself not to focus on them, although he admitted that the sexual desire made the irrationality very powerful. He would learn to master that, as he had mastered other physical needs. He just needed her there to experiment and to practice.

After another hour she woke up and stretched herself like a cat. He began to kiss her, impatient. He wanted to be inside her again.

"Oh, don't you ever get tired?" She complained, amused with his kisses.

"You had time to rest." He said.

"Yes, well, I'm hungry now." She said pushing him away.

"Obviously." He said annoyed.

She smiled. "I know it must be hard to understand that when you don't need food nor sleep." He sighed. "Do you have anything to eat in the house?" she asked.

He thought about it. He didn't know. He hadn't bothered to eat anything in the last 36 hours. He was in a case. If there was nothing to eat she would want to leave the flat and it would be harder to control the situation.

She sighed, as he didn't answer. "I'll go check." she said, attempting to leave the bed.

"No." he said holding her down. "I'll go, you stay here."

"I'll go with you." She said attempting to stand up again.

"No." he said again, this time louder and firmer, like an order. "You stay in here. I'll bring you some food." he stood up and began to dress,

"You know, you are a bit too paranoid. You need to relax."

"Not around you. I don't trust you and you fooled me enough times in the past. I'm not going to let that happen again. I'm done underestimating you."

"That's rude." She said offended. "For your information, Sherlock, women like a little bit of sweet talk and cuddling after having sex with a guy."

He stared at her a little concerned about that remark. She stared back with a defiant look. "You're not like other women." He just said and finished dressing.

"Is that a compliment?"

"It's a fact."

Sherlock picked up a pair of handcuffs he had in his bedside table and before she could realize what he was doing, cuffed her to the bed pole.

"Hey." She complained.

"This will keep you here." He said with a smile, amused for being able to surprise her.

"Why didn't you tell me you had these before? We could have had fun with them." She said teasingly.

"Hold that thought." He said with a hungry smile. "I'll be right back."

He ran down the stairs and went to the kitchen to look for some food. John was there.

"Good morning, John." Sherlock said without really looking at him. He opened the refrigerator. There was a pack of meat, a cart of milk almost finished, a few vegetables clearly inappropriate for consumption, and two bowls with severed human fingers on them. He picked up the milk and went to look in the cabinet.

"So, I got home from work last night and you were already in your room." John said, trying to make conversation.

Sherlock ignored him. Inside the cabinet there were two bags of chips, a pot of pickles and some condiments. He would have to go see if Mrs. Hudson had some food.

"What are you doing?"

"I need food." Sherlock answered trying another cabinet, which was completely full of empty pots.

"That's new. I don't think I've ever seen you search for food before. Thought you could live on tea alone and an occasional dumpling from the Chinese next door."

"It's not for me." Sherlock said. Tea was a good idea.

"Oh. Right." John said a little uncomfortably. He had heard the sounds coming from Sherlock's bedroom last night. They weren't too worried about being discrete. "Who is it for?" he asked.

"Adler." Sherlock said looking at John and realizing he had a cup of tea in his hand and a plate with two toasts in front of him.

John choked on his tea

"Can I have those?" Sherlock asked ignoring his friend struggle to breath. He took the cup John had just placed at the table and the plate with the toasts, one of them was already half eaten but it was better then pickles.

"Irene Adler?" John asked, not noticing his food was being stolen.

"Yes." Sherlock answered turning back to the stairs, with the plate and the cup, happy to have solved the problem sooner than he expected.

"Wait a minute." John put himself between Sherlock and the door. "Are you telling me you spent the night... That you've... That Irene Adler is in your room right now? And that you're bringing her breakfast?" John looked at the plate and cup in Sherlock's hands. "My breakfast."

"Well, yes."

"Ow, I didn't see that one coming."

"You don't see many things, John. Now excuse me. I have to go."

Sherlock rushed up the stairs. When he got inside the room his blood froze. She wasn't in the bed. The cuffs where still in the pole but she wasn't there. Then he heard the sound of the shower running. He left the food in the counter and entered the bathroom relieved to see her silhouette behind the plastic curtain.

"How did you get off the cuffs?" he asked.

"Oh, please." She just said with disdain. "And you said you were done underestimating me."

That was unnerving. It seemed she was one step ahead of him all the time. That had to stop. He left the bathroom and threw himself on the bed. The sheets smelled of her perfume and he stood up again. He needed to think and that smell would not help.

She left the bathroom with his towel around her. Her hair was wet and dripping on the floors and she looked like a Greek goddess just out of the ocean. She smiled at him. He looked away, determined not to loose control again.

"Hm, half a cup of tea and one and a half toasts. Sherlock, you shouldn't have." She said with sarcasm, grabbing the half toast and sitting on the bed.

"It's food." He just said sitting back on the bed, facing her. The control part wasn't working too well.

He watched her eat the second toast and finish the tea. When she put the cup back on the bedside table, he climbed over her, kissing her softly on the lips. His hands began to undo the towel that was covering her, but she stopped him.

"Now what? You've eaten." He said annoyed with her resistance.

"I have to go." She said amused with the contrast of him. All his masculinity, physical strength and brilliant mind mixed with that attitude of a stubborn boy denied of his toy.

"Why?" he asked suspicious.

"I told you. I have a meeting with a movie director. It's a lunch meeting and it's already ten thirty. I still have to go to my hotel and change."

"You can't go. I'm not done with you." He said in a tone that wasn't expecting objection.

She just smiled and pushed him away from her, beginning to pick her clothes from the floor and putting them on. He wanted to stop and restrain her but was afraid that if he used physical force she would be even more resistant. He needed to persuade her to stay some other way.

"Please, stay. I really want you to stay." He begged lowering an octave of his voice, standing up and embracing her from behind kissing the back of her neck very softly. The effect of that on her was very visible. Her pulse accelerated and the hair of her neck and arm raised a little. His hands moved up grabbing her breasts. She took a deep breath when he did that and he felt her resistance breaking.

He had some control of her desire too, that was interesting. He liked this game. His mouth traced his way through her jaw line. When he began to slowly suck her right ear lobe she moaned loudly.

"Oh man, you're good." She said and he turned her around, shutting her up with a kiss. She threw her arms around his neck and let him slowly pull her to bed.

When they were almost there, she pulled his leg with her own, making him loose balance and fall heavily on the bed, while she remained standing a few inches from it.

"Very, very good." She said a little breathless, stepping back from him. "But I really have to go."

He watched her with interest as she finished dressing while repeatedly looking back at him, with a hint of regret in her gaze. She knew how to control herself over the desire because it was clear that she wanted him, her skin was flushed, her breathing was uneven and he was sure that if he got closer again there would be other physical evidences. But when he moved she stepped further back.

He smiled amused with that newfound power over her. He sat on the bed and crossed his fingers over his chest.

"Good boy." She said with a wink, acknowledging his retreat of the game.

"This isn't over." He said.

"Good." She said getting closer and pecking him on the lips before stepping away again and walking to the door. "Well, this had been real fun. See you later, Sherlock." She said opening the door.

"This doesn't change anything." He said.

She turned back and looked at him questioning.

"You're not going to escape me again. You make one mistake I'll put you down."

She grinned. "Not if you can't catch me." she said teasingly. "Bye. Wish me luck." She yelled already rushing down the stairs. "Bye, John." He heard her say, when she passed through the leaving room.

A few senseless grunts were John answer and then he heard the door.


	3. Chapter 3

"So." John began.

Sherlock ignored running his eyes through the paper trying to find something interesting. He was hoping to find something that could be the real reason for Adler to be in town. Some exposition, some auction, some famous public figure giving a party at his or her house, opening the place to thieves, but nothing looked suspicious or even remotely interesting for a thieve, especially one of Irene's caliber. Of course, there could be something that wouldn't show in the paper, which was more likely.

"Aren't you going to tell me anything?" John tried again.

"About what?" Sherlock asked absentmindedly.

"Oh, how about how Irene Adler ended in your bed last night."

"She broke into the flat. I found her here when I got back from Scotland Yard."

"And..."

"I'm sure you know how these things work, John."

"I thought you hated her."

Sherlock raised his eyes and looked curiously at John. "Hatred is irrational, John. It gets in the way of proper thinking. Adler is an adversary, a very clever criminal that I will put away eventually."

"She was here. At your mercy. Why didn't you call the police?"

"I have nothing that can prove her connection to any crime. Call the police would be just a waste of time. The logical thing to do is to wait until she acts again and makes a mistake."

"So you've decided to shag her instead." John stated. "I'm sorry, but how's _that_ logical?"

"Well, she thought of that, not me. I don't know what her game is yet, but I assumed the better way to find out was to play along. It was pleasant, and very useful."

"Useful?"

Sherlock smiled. "Yes, useful. I know her better now. Small things, marks, scars. That might be useful in the future."

"Yeah, I'm sure that when she was screaming your name at three in the morning all you could think of was getting information." John said with sarcasm.

Sherlock sighed and ignored John's remark. It was pointless to get into that juvenile discussion.

"So, are you going to see her again?"

"Of course. She can't stay straight for long. I'm quite sure she'll be involve in a very interesting crime very soon."

"It's not what I meant." Sherlock just looked at him without understand. "I've known you for some time now and this is the first time I've seen you interest in someone like that."

"What, on earth, are you talking about? I've been interest in criminals ever since the first day you met me, John." Sherlock said.

"In a woman, Sherlock. I've never seen you interest in a woman before. I thought girls weren't your area... well, I thought no one was you're area, actually. But it's nice to see that you are, well, human, after all."

Sherlock just puffed and continued his research.


	4. Chapter 4

She looked one last time in the mirror and thought she had done a damn good job. She looked marvelous. Perfect to do the part of a confused girl who wanted to help her family but just got them in more trouble. That was the part she was asked to read for. It was a very small part in the movie, but if she got the part it could be the start of a real carrier and maybe the last days of burglarizing and stealing.

That would be good. Getting jobs was getting harder and more dangerous ever since she lost the good graces of most of her contacts. She was sure that was due the fact that she had broken her relations with Jim Moriarty a year ago and he was probably trying to strong arm her to get back to business with him. Which she wouldn't.

So, getting an (fairly) honest, well paying job was her best chance to keep up the way of live she'd grown used to without risking death or jail.

On the way to the restaurant she considered again if she would really give up her illegal ways. Maybe she was fooling herself. She liked the danger after all and it could pay more than the movie business. And she could not forget the fact that if she went straight she would probably loose the interest of one particular detective, well, consultant detective. She surely didn't want that, now that she's gotten his full attention.

But she liked to think that she could get out of this life if she wanted to. Maybe Sherlock would like an honest Irene, one he didn't have to try to outwit.

She arrived at the restaurant and met the director that was already waiting for her in the table. They talked for a while, about London, her trip, her carrier, his ideas for the movie and then about her playing the part.

"You know, Irene, I'm not going to lie to you, I saw you in that little play in New York and I thought you have a real potential. I'm just concern about one thing." The director said, when they finished eating and asked for coffee.

"And what's that?" She asked giving her most flirtatious look to him.

"Can you take directions?"

"I'm a professional actor. You tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"See, that's not what I asked. You strike me with someone with a very strong personality and during all our talk it's all I've seen. You are very confident, which is very strange for young unknown actresses. They normally can successfully fake confidence, but they don't have any. And you have a lot. More than a director normally likes."

"So my excess of confidence is the problem. I can be more insecure if that's what you want. I'm that good of an actress." She said a little annoyed by his clearly chauvinistic tone.

He smiled, leaned forward and brushed his hands against hers.

"Bet you can." He said, trying to sound smooth. "And I would really liked if you showed that to me. Maybe you could do another read for me, back in my hotel room and you could show me how insecure you can be." He licked his lips and looked at her with a hungry stare.

A wave of disgust took hold of her and she held her breath to make sure she would not let it show. She just stared back at him with the same smile she had before.

"Sure, why not?" - she said smoothly - "Would you excuse me for a moment? I have to go to the toilet." She said and left the table without waiting for his reply.


	5. Chapter 5

Entering the ladies room she took a deep breath and looked herself in the mirror. So he wasn't so interest in her acting as he was in her physique. Not that she was surprised, she knew the show business enough and he was not the first director to try to get her to trade sex for a part. She considered his offer: he was not handsome, but he had his charm, and he had that English accent that was already half way with her.

Give him what he wanted would be easy. She could probably even get this in her advantage. Give him the best sex of his life; maybe turn this attraction into something more useful. Make him really need her and then manipulate him to give her the part and maybe even other favors for her carrier. He looked dumb enough to fall for that. And she could play dumb to get to him. Make him think he had the upper hand and than strike him.

That would be easier than trying to get another profitable job in that country, and since her relationship with Sherlock had evolved a little, she would really like to stay in the country for a while.

The face looking back at her had a smirk on. She knew how to play this game very well, to seduce and deceive and get what she wanted. To take advantage of her beauty and of the stupidity of men when they were sexually aroused.

"You look like you're about to do something very naughty." A familiar voice cut her strain of thought.

She turned around surprised and saw Jim Moriarty standing behind her, in a very stylish suit with his hands in his pockets. He had an amused boyish smile on his face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. Her heart beat raced and her body tensed. She began to look for ways out of that place.

"Needed to pee." He said.

"This is the ladies room." She replied trying to sound cool and don't let on her fear.

"Really?" He asked acting confused. Then he gave shoulders. "Well, you know how I don't care about these silly society rules."

"Well, let me give you privacy, then." She said, walking to the door. It was the only way out.

He placed himself in her way. She step to the side trying to get pass him, but he moved with her, obstructing her passage.

She sighed and looked at him defiant.

"You look dashing, my dear. I loved what you've done with your hair. This color really brings out your eyes." He said, running his hand through her hair.

His touch made her shiver with fear and tense even more. He noticed that and his smile got wider.

"Please, let me pass." She asked firmly.

"Do you really prefer the company of that chauvinistic excuse of a director who's trying to get into your pants than mine?"

"Oddly enough, yes." She said and tried to pass through him again. He held her arm and pulled her back. She fought him and tried to escape his grip but he held her strongly and pressed her against the wall.

"Shush." He said, restraining her. "You're overreacting, I just want to talk."

She took a deep breath and stop debating herself.

"Good." He said feeling her relax. He released her and stepped back. "I missed your energy, my dear." He said with an amused smile.

"I'm in the middle of a job interview, Moriarty. What do you want?" She asked harsh.

"Well, to make you a better job offer."

"I don't work for you anymore, remember?"

"Yes, I do, but I thought you'd make an exception this time. It's something especial."

"Not interested."

"Not even in the Blue Diamond?"

She didn't answer right way, trying to control herself. Her fear had been instantly replaced by an uncontrollable curiosity. She looked at him suspiciously.

"The Blue Diamond is in Paris, very well guarded. It's impossible to get." She said, and regretted it immediately. She had just shown him she was interest.

He smiled. "What if I told you it's not in Paris. That it's here in London, very poorly guarded for a brief window of time, and that I have means to grant you access to it."

"I'd say you're bluffing. That it's a trap."

"It's not a bluff and it's not a trap, my suspicious little kitten. There's a real opportunity to get that diamond, and I want to offer you the chance to be the one to get it."

"Why me?"

"Well, you weren't my first choice, and I'll have to adjust the plans a little for you. But I don't want to fight anymore and I wish we could get back to be business partners. Even business partners with benefits, like we used to be." He smiled wickedly. "And because I can't help but adore the irony of you being back in London just when this opportunity appeared. It seems almost too perfect to be true."

He sounded sincere, but she knew she couldn't trust him. He looked like a normal and civilized businessman now, but he was a psychopath. He cared for nothing but his games, that normally got people killed. He had killed people before and he had tried to kill her. She was sure he hadn't finish the job because he was still attracted to her and he though she could still be interest to play with. And this had to be a game he was playing. He wouldn't just give her the diamond.

"What's the catch?" She asked suspicious.

"Shall we discuss this some other place? I can tell you all the details on the way."

"No, tell me now."

He approached her in a menacing way. "You come with me now, or the offer expires."

"As I said, I'm in the middle of a job interview." She replied with a smile.

He sighed and she saw he was loosing his patience. Although she knew it was very dangerous to toy with him, she couldn't help to feel a little delight in knowing she could still make him loose his patience. He was always so proud of his self-control that it was just amusing to make him loose it.

She grinned a little too much for her own sake with that thought.

"Don't try to play smart with me, love. You know you can't win." He said menacing noticing her grin.

"I know that. That's why I'm not interest." She said seriously, trying to sound really sure of herself. Inside she knew that she wanted that diamond very badly, for years, and it was breaking her heart to let it go again. But it wasn't worth risking her life getting involved with him again.

His eyes went black with rage and she feared he would forget completely that they were in a public place and it would be easy for someone to recognize him if he lost control and actually killed her.

He restrained a very strong desire to break her neck. Although, that was what he wanted to do. He hated that she had that power to make him angry, to make him loose his control. But what he hated the most was her rejection. Was being denied those lips and that body. He hated still wanting her.

He stepped back breathing heavily and she noticed his control returning to him. "Are you sure?" he asked with a firm and smooth voice.

"Yes." More sure now that she saw murder in his eyes.

"Fine. Have fun seducing your director into giving you a lousy part in his stupid film. It's your only chance to get a job. You think I was blackballing you before, you wait for what I'm going to do now." He threatened her.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Yes, you are. But you think you can survive without me. Well, my dear, you can't. You're only alive because I allow it. I tried to be nice and waited for you to realize your mistake and come back to me. I'm done waiting. I'm going to teach some humbleness, now. And when I'm finished with you, you'll be mine again."

"I'll die before that." She said.

"Oh, no. No, no, no." He said getting back to his confident and mean self. "Before that, I'm going to hurt you. Very much" He gave a wicked smile. "And you're going to beg for me to take you back or for me to take your life. Goodbye, my dear. See you soon."

When he left the room she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. She knew she had crossed a very dangerous line. He was really mad now and he wouldn't just leave her alone. She had to leave the country and wait for him to calm down, or run after him and say she would take the job. She wouldn't give in to him so she was only left with the choice of running.

She left the ladies room and went back to the table where she had left her purse.

"Oh, you took your time. I've paid already. Shall we go?" He said standing up and grabbing her hand.

She brushed him off and took her purse. "Sorry. Maybe some other time." She said, leaving him without waiting for any reply and blowing her chance of a carrier in the English movie business, and some more time with her favorite detective. She would be safer in the States anyway.


	6. Chapter 6

When John woke up and went to the kitchen to prepare some coffee he found Sherlock sleeping the living room couch. It was good to see Sherlock finally getting some rest. He was beginning to worry about him. It would be better if he was sleeping in his bedroom but John didn't want to find out why he chose the couch instead of his own bed.

He sensed it has something to do with the fact that Irene Adler had recently been on that bed, but he couldn't be sure. Sherlock decided not to talk about that anymore and there was no sign of Irene since the previous day.

Sherlock's mobile began to ring. He opened his eyes and moved to answer it.

"Sherlock Holmes." he said in a clear and soft voice, that didn't seem to belong to someone who had just woken up.

"Mr. Holmes this is the Baron de Crozon. I was informed that you could help me, discreetly, to solve a problem I find myself in." said the voice in the other end of the line.

French accent. Local call. Not wanting the police involved. Interesting already, but he needed more data. The name was familiar but he wasn't sure why.

"That depends." Sherlock said. "What is the problem?"

"I would rather talk about it in person, Mr. Holmes. Meet me in my London office as soon as you can. I'll text you the address." Said the Baron hanging up.

Sherlock jumped from the couch and opened the browser in his phone searching for the Baron's name. Many articles appeared revealing he was a fairly known art and fashion enthusiast, apparently constantly surrounded by beautiful women.

One article in particular caught his attention and he remembered where he had seen that name before: on the file he had on Irene Adler.

"I knew she wasn't here just for a casting interview." He said out loud standing up and grabbing his scarf and coat, preparing to leave.

"Who?" John asked.

"Adler. Come on, John, we have to get her before she has a chance to flee again." He said, rushing down the stairs.

John put his shoes on quickly, grabbed his jacket and followed his roommate.

"What did she do?" John asked when they were already in the cab and after Sherlock told him his conversation with the Baron.

"Stole the Blue Diamond." Sherlock said, still typing something in his phone. "Damn it, too many flights to the State, we'll be lucky if she's not already in one of them." he turned to the driver. "Soho hotel, at Richmonds Mews."

"What's the Blue Diamond?"

"A ring, with a huge diamond colored ocean blue. It's said to be one of the rings Napoleon gave his polish mistress Marie Walewska. It's been with the Crozon's, a noble French family, for over two hundred years. It's priceless."

"How do you know that? I thought the Baron said he would explain when we arrived."

"There's rumors of the financial problems the Baron is facing. He asked me to be discreet which means it's something embarrassing for him, but nothing so serious as murder. Irene is also in the country. He obviously came to London to sell the diamond to save his finances and had it stolen instead."

"Why do you think it was Irene?"

"She's been involved with the diamond before. It's not a coincidence that the Baron is in London at the same time she is." he said and became silent and thoughtful.

They arrived at the hotel and went to question the clerk. In the busy lobby there was a huge sculpture of a fat cat.

"Hello. Sherlock Holmes for the guest in room 2113." He said.

The clerk phoned the room and Sherlock and John were allowed to go up.

"Good, John, we have her." Said Sherlock excited. "I can't deny I'm a bit disappointed though. Thought she would be harder to get, but I guess not even she anticipated the fact that I would come straight here instead of listening to the Baron."

"Wait. I thought we were going to see the Baron."

"Unnecessary, since I already know what he wants and who stole his diamond. And since he asked me not to call the police, I couldn't take the chance of her running away. He'll be much more please when I show up already with his diamond in hand."


	7. Chapter 7

When they knocked on the door, Irene opened wearing just a loose golden silk robe with a crimson rose painted on the side.

"Sherlock. What a pleasant surprise." She said seductively. When she saw John she raised her eyebrows with surprise. "And John, hmm, this should be more interesting then I anticipated." she said, winking at the doctor.

John felt his face hot and knew he was blushing.

"We're not here to indulge your deviations." Sherlock said harsh, entering the room without waiting for her invitation and seeing two open bags almost full of clothes. He smiled with the confirmation that he had just prevented her escape.

"Pity." She said closing the door after John entered the room. "That would be much more fun for sure. Some coffee? Tea?" She said, offering from the cart full of food.

"I'll be brief since I'm late for another appointment. I'll have the diamond, please." He said offering his open palm.

Irene sat on the couch sipping some coffee she had poured for herself and with a puzzled expression. "I'm sorry?"

Sherlock sighed. "Don't waste my time with lies. I know it was you."

"Oh, and you're always right, aren't you?" She said amused. "But I really don't know what you're talking about. What diamond?"

"The Blue Diamond." John said. "It's been stolen and Baron Crozon hired Sherlock to retrieve it. We were on our way to see the Baron but we stopped here instead."

"Yes, so we can take the diamond back to his rightful owner."

Irene expression hardened a little and she looked worried, which Sherlock assumed was as good as a confession.

"And why do you think I have anything to do with this?" she asked.

Sherlock smiled again. "You had tried to steal the Diamond twice before. In Paris, two years ago, the Baron's mother, who were wearing the ring at an opening night at the opera, was drugged and moved from her box by an oriental employee who tried to remove the ring from her and was stopped by the sudden appearance of the family doctor who unexpectedly was also at the opera. He entered the room before the thief could manage her misfit, but she was able to escape. Coincidentally, you were in Paris at that same night, attending an American theater festival.

"Second time it was in Nice, last year. A man named Harry Gale broke into the Baron's summer house in an attempt to steal the Diamond, that had been moved from Paris by the Baron's second wife without his knowledge. He underestimated the summer house's security and was caught in sight. He claimed he act alone, but his previous employment was as an actor, in a company that you were also part of."

Irene grinned and looked almost proud.

"You cannot prove my involvement in any of theses events." She said playful.

Sherlock approached the couch and spoke smoothly to her.

"I know it was you."

"I didn't even set foot in Nice last year."

"No, but at the time of the robbery you were in Greece. And when he was caught, Harry Gale had a ticket for a flight to Greece at that same night."

"I'm really flattered that you've been so interested in my life, but still, no evidence."

"It's not a coincidence that you decided to drop by for a visit at the same day the Blue Diamond is moved from Paris to London, very poorly guarded. Unfortunately the Baron requested me not to involve the police. So I guess I'll have to wait for another mistake to put you to jail. But I'll accept the fact that I outwitted you this time."

"Oh, did you?" Irene asked now in midst of laughter.

"Enough with this game." Sherlock screamed loosing his patient. "Now, give me the diamond."

"Sorry. Don't have it."

"I don't believe you." Sherlock stated.

"Well, too bad. Now, since we don't seem to be getting anywhere with this conversation, and you're not going to call the police. Would you please leave, so I can finish packing. I have a plane to catch."

Sherlock sat on the four-posted bed and crossed his arms and legs.

Irene sighed with impatience.

"Maybe if you told us what you've done since you left Baker Street yesterday, we could establish if you're telling the truth." said John.

"She's not." Sherlock just said.

Irene walked to the bed and sat by Sherlock's side. The sweet and exotic perfume hit him and brought with it memories of sensations from the previous night. A shiver ran through his spine and he breathed to control it. He looked at John and felt safe. Good thing John was there.

"I know you don't trust me, Sherlock." She said smoothly running her long fingers through the collar of his shirt. Another shiver he ignored. "But I'm telling the truth this time. I've got nothing to do with the stealing of the Blue Diamond." Her hand began to move down to his chest, tracing his collar bone. "You're being paranoid." she whispered leaning closer to him.

The sound of a click and the feeling of cold metal against her wrist made her pull back quickly, but not enough to prevent Sherlock from cuffing her other hand. "Oh, you and these damn handcuffs." she snapped.

"So you don't mind if we look around, do you?" Sherlock said standing up from the bed and leaving her arms tied around the bedpost.

She struggled for a while, until she took a deep breath and relaxed. "No, of course not, be my guest."

One hour later, all Irene's belongings were on the floor, the room's furniture was upside down and there was no sign of the diamond. Sherlock has broken into Irene's computer and was going through her files. Lots of interesting information for the file he had on her, but no evidence of anything illegal, nor any clues on the diamond's whereabouts.

John sat on the bed by Irene's side. "Maybe, we should consider the possibility that she's telling the truth." he said.

Sherlock ignored him and kept typing on the computer. Then his phone rang and he picked up.

"Yes, Baron, this is Sherlock Holmes. I'm sorry for my delay but I had to make a stop on the way to your office. I expected to have developments to show you. I'll explain when I arrive."

He ended the conversation, closed the lid of the laptop and stood up walking in the direction of the bed.

"The diamond isn't here."

"I recall telling you that an hour ago." Irene said sarcastically.

"So, you have it stashed somewhere else. No keys to safety deposit boxes nor tickets to external lockers. So, I have to assume it's being held in a place between here and the airport, possibly by an accomplice or someone who doesn't even know it's guarding it for you. You didn't have time to sell it and it's not a commissioned job. The diamond is personal to you."

John opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Sherlock.

"Yes, John, you think she's innocent, I got that." Sherlock said harsh. He turned back to Irene. "Either way, if you don't show up to pick up the ring, someone will contact you about it and I'll have a lead. So, I'm not letting you out of my sight until then."

Irene snapped. "Oh, why won't you listen to me? I didn't steal the diamond. Period."

"Maybe we should believe her, Sherlock." Said John.

"Why?" Sherlock asked him. "Why should I believe she didn't do it? All the facts point to her." Sherlock said slowly, controlling his voice. "She had motive and opportunity. The diamond had fled her hands two previous times and she's proud enough to see that as a personal challenge. The diamond was away from his usually unbreakable security in the same country, in the same city that she was. She is a highly skilled thief and could easily arrange all evidences so she didn't get implicate directly. She has done so numerous times before."

"Except I didn't this time." She said.

"Why?" Sherlock asked her. "Tell me why would you not try to steal something you had tried to steal two times before when it was so easy for you?"

"Because stealing is wrong." Irene said with a smirk.

Sherlock remained coldly staring at her and her smile subsided. He knew her as well as she knew him. In essence they were very alike. She was as incapable of walking away from an easy con as Sherlock was incapable of ignoring an interesting case or a riddle, and that was where his certainty lay.

She sighed and looked away, knowing she could not give him the answer that would get him off her back. It was a lot riskier for both of them.

Sherlock looked at John as to settle the argument with him. John nodded and didn't say another word to support Irene's version, although he still felt there was something strangely off about the stubbornness of both of them.

"You should ask the Baron about the buyer and if there was any one else interested." Irene said.

"You decided to help now?" Sherlock asked sarcastically. John just looked surprised.

"I decided I don't care if you believe me or not. The sooner you get this diamond, the sooner you'll be off my back, so let's find the fucking diamond." she said resilient.

"It would be easier if you just told us where it is." Sherlock said.

Irene smiled with the corner of her mouth. "Since when do you like it easy?" she asked teasingly.

Sherlock smiled back at her, accepting happily the challenge. "Fair enough." he freed her and threw her some clothes. "Get dressed. We're going to see the Baron."


	8. Chapter 8

**Huge writer's block + hell breaking loose at work. Didn't want to let it unfinished, though. Made a promise to myself to finish stories, already have the end and all. Have to work my way through it, though. Feels kind of lost, but it will get better. Soon. Hopefully.**

* * *

They arrived at the address the Baron had texted Sherlock and were guided to the top floor, where the Baron was waiting at the living room of the big apartment. Sherlock lead Irene in by the arm, making sure she would not try anything.

"I'm really glad you could come Mr. Holmes." the baron began when they were left alone by the security. "As I said before, I need your help and I would appreciated if this matter remained only between us. I really don't want the police or the press to be involved in this. Can we agree on that?"

"Of course." Sherlock said.

"And can I ask this of your associates also?"

"Certainly. This is my colleague Dr. John Watson," he said pointing to John. "And you probably know miss Adler." he said.

"I'm afraid not." The Baron said, kissing Irene's hand. "I'm certain I would remember such a beautiful woman. It's indeed a pleasure to met you Miss Adler."

"You're very flattering, Baron. Call me Irene, please." She said, lightly. "Sherlock was certain we had met before, but I assured him I'd never had the pleasure. He's stubborn, though."

"Please, call me Ivan" The Baron said amused, already enchanted by Irene's seductive ways.

"You might not know Miss Adler, Baron, but she knows you very well." Sherlock said sarcastically.

"Really, how so?"

Irene looked at Sherlock curiously. She could not be sure what kind of game he wanted to play. She considered he would prefer a quieter approach and a dramatic closing once he had proof of her crime, which she was sure he would not find.

She hadn't much choice either way. All she wanted was to get him off her back so she could run from the country before Moriarty remembered he had promised to hurt her. So the faster she proved to Sherlock she hadn't stolen the Diamond, the faster she would be able to run.

Maybe exposing herself would get faster results.

"You see, Ivan." She began leaning towards the Baron as if she was about to tell him an intimate secret. "You just called the best and most arrogant detective in London. He's so full of himself that he was sure he could solve your case even before coming here to see you."

"That would be really difficult, since I didn't even told Mr. Holmes what's is the case." The Baron said a little confused.

"The theft of your Blue Diamond." Sherlock said a little bored quickly realizing Irene wanted to discredit him.

"How do you know that?" The Baron asked surprised.

"As I said, he's really good." Irene said before Sherlock could answer. "But he's also a little paranoid, you see. He's sure I was the one who stole it."

The Baron stepped back looking shocked at Irene, then at Sherlock and John. "Is this some kind of joke?" The Baron said angrily, sure those three people were making fun of him. "You were highly recommended as a serious man Mr. Holmes. And you bring your friends here to make fun of me."

"This isn't a joke, Mr. Crozon." Sherlock said serious, a little annoyed by Irene's interference. He hated to have people's interest divided with her e he decided he would get everyone's full attention back. He had to focus on the case, not on her. "I know of the theft of your diamond because of the numerous rumors of your difficult financial situation, and because of her presence here in London. So far, you haven't denied that the case is about it."

"It is. I brought the Diamond here to secretly sell it, but it was stolen last night." Ivan admitted confused with the situation and those strange characters, remembering the despair of his loss. "And you say this woman is responsible for it?" he asked looking back at Irene with doubt.

"Yes. It's not the first time she tried to steal it." Sherlock said.

Irene snorted. "Ivan, please understand, Sherlock is wrong in his accusation, but most of all, he can't prove none of his paranoid theories. I agreed to come and see you so we could clear this misunderstanding quickly and he can focus on finding your diamond for you and I can go back home."

"Yes." Sherlock said impatient. "The quicker we solve this, the quicker we can both go home. Now, Mr. Crozon, could you please tell us exactly what happened to your diamond."

Ivan Crozon sighed and calmed himself. Still looking at the woman who might have in her possession his beloved diamond, he began to tell his story hoping that in the end, those people could tell him how she had managed to get the diamond and where it was.

"I brought the Diamond to London in a case that never left my possession. It was on my hand valise on the plane and when I arrived at this apartment, I kept its case always at my sight. Last night, after I had talked to one of the possible buyers and set a meting with him for this morning, I placed the case on a drawer inside the closet in my bedroom, so it wouldn't be visible when my buyer arrived."

The Baron walked them to the bedroom and opened the door to the closet he was referring to so Sherlock could see it. Irene also peeked inside curiously. It was a large closet with a few shelves and drawers, and which could be entered only by means of that door.

"Then what happened?" Sherlock asked.

"I locked the cabinet with this key." he showed them an old iron key. "Put it underneath my pillow and went to sleep. In the morning I received the interested buyer. When he requested to see the diamond before closing the deal, I opened the cabinet to take the case and show it to him and it wasn't there. The case had vanished with the diamond inside it."

"Was the cabinet locked?" Sherlock asked.

"Yes. When I woke up the first thing I did was check if the key was still underneath the pillow. And it was, so I didn't bother check inside. When I went to opened it was locked just as I had locked the night before, with two turns of the key."

"You never left this room?" John asked.

"No." The Baron cried knowing that there was no way to explain how the diamond had vanished. "I was here all the time. I slept and maybe someone entered the room while I was sleep and took it, but it would have to pass through my security, take the key from below my pillow, open the cabinet, close it again and put the key back underneath and leave the building without being seen."

"Are you a heavy sleeper, Baron?" John asked.

"Not particularly." the Baron answered. "But maybe I was drugged so I wouldn't wake. Maybe someone put something in my drink while I was dinning. I can't help but think it was one of the security guards. It's the only way someone could have come inside, without forcing the door open."

Irene held a condescended smile, although she knew the baron assumption was naive, when she realized Sherlock was looking at her while the Baron told his story waiting for some incriminating reaction.

"Don't you trust them?" John asked.

Sherlock walked through the bedroom looking for clues that weren't in the Baron's story. They were in the 21st floor. The apartment had no balcony and all the windows were closed from the inside. There was no sign of forced entry through them either.

"I don't know who to trust anymore. All I know is that one or all of them have to be involved." The Baron cried. "They all claimed they didn't leave their post for a second during the night and no one passed through them. But someone is lying. How else would someone enter this room and open the door of the closet?"

Sherlock just puffed annoyed and opened the closet door one more time entering it.

"The thief didn't open the door." Sherlock said absentmindedly climbing the drawers of the cabinet and punching the back wall and the ceiling. Irene sat on the bed and waited for Sherlock to finish.

"Of course it was." The baron retorted. "I personally put the diamond inside it and locked it. The only way to get the diamond was to open the door."

Silence was Sherlock only answer. He kept punching the wall and ceiling of the closet until he heard something hollow. Then he punched a little harder and discovered and small air vent of about 30 cm x 30 cm in the inner left corner of the ceiling, that was covered by a plaque that mimicked the ceiling cover.

"Or, to come through this vent." Sherlock stated with a satisfied smile. He looked victoriously to Irene, who remained with the same serene impenetrable expression.

John looked inside the closet to the air vent. "No one can pass through that thing, Sherlock, it's too small."

"Someone can, someone has. That's how the diamond was removed from the closet without taking the key and waking up the Baron." He walked to Irene leaning down to her leveling his eyes with hers. "That's odd, you didn't do it yourself. I assumed you would want to be the one to take it. You don't strike me as someone who would sit quietly waiting for someone to do your dirty job for you."

"I'm not." Irene replied, staring back at him.

"You're trying to tell me again you're not the one behind this?"

"I'm tired of that. I'll let you get to that conclusion on your own."

Sherlock closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment. He had to stop letting her cloud his judgment. "Ok. I'll call your bluff. If you didn't do it than who did?" he said looking back at her.

"I don't know that, Sherlock." She said. "I was quietly sleeping in my hotel last night. As I told you a number of times I came here for a job interview, it didn't work out, and now I want to go back to the States, where I do have a life."

Sherlock studied her for some time. "No. Something isn't right. There's something you're not telling me."

She sighed impatiently.

"This is too interesting and you're not interested. The diamond you failed to steal two times, and you don't want to know who did what you couldn't do." He teased sarcastically and saw a flash of anger in her eyes.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself. She felt cornered and she and fear was beginning to lead her actions. She couldn't afford to let him do that. He was too smart and he would read her immediately if she let her guard down. He would soon figure out the right answer and she shouldn't be close when he found that out because that would be really, really hard to explain. Not to mention, really dangerous for both of them.


	9. Chapter 9

**Nothing like Sherlock getting back on with a genius episode about Irene Adler to bust your imagination :-).**

* * *

"Oh, I am interested, Sherlock. It's just that my interest is not on what you're looking for." she said with a seductive smile, concealing all her intentions to him.

"You're not interest in the diamond?" He asked, annoyed by the fact he couldn't read her.

She sighed touching his collar. "The diamond is long gone, Sherlock. You know that." She leaned closer, whispering in his ear. "Accept that you can't win every time, and let me go."

Anger and desire clouded Sherlock's thought for a fraction of a second. The anger of being outwitted by her again made it easier for him to order his body to stop reacting to he proximity and her perfume.

He wouldn't let her foul him again. She would loose this time.

Sherlock stepped back staying at a safe distance from her. "I need to know who was staying in the adjoining room" He said, turning to the baron.

"You think someone in the hotel stole my diamond. How?"

"Through the air vent, obviously. It leads to another room in this hotel and someone passed through it in the night and took your diamond without you or your security seeing it."

"Sherlock, the air vent is too small, only a child could pass through that thing." John said unconvinced. Sherlock just moved his head in his direction. John took some time to understand. "You think a child stole the diamond?" he asked.

Irene smiled amused.

"Or someone the size of a child. You find who was in the room on the other side of the air vent you have your thief, Baron." Sherlock said.

The Baron walked outside the room calling his security and asking them to find out who was in the adjoining the last night.

John walked closer to Sherlock. "So, Irene was telling the truth?" he asked in a whisper.

Shelock didn't answer, just kept staring at Irene, trying to see anything that would betray her. There had to be something he was missing. She was involved in this, he was sure of that. Maybe not in the way he first imagined, but she wasn't innocent.

She stood up and walked to the bar, going through the bottles until she found a white wine that interested her and poured a glass. "So, can I go now?" She asked sipping the wine. "If I run, maybe I can still make the last flight to the States.

After a few moments, the baron returned with three men of his security team. He was pale and a little shaken. "You were right Mr Holmes. The adjoining room was occupied by an American couple with a young boy, they arrived the same day I did and left the hotel in the middle of the night. According to the clerk they ordered a cab to the airport because their flight left at 5 am. They're probably gone, by now."

The Baron went to the bar himself and poured a glass of scotch, taking a big gulp. He looked confused at Irene. "I don't understand what is going on." He said to her, as if pleading for an answer.

She noticed the tension in his brow and neck. Something was worrying him more than just the stolen diamond. Maybe the realization he was totally gone and he was lost. But her senses told her it wasn't just it. She looked back at Sherlock who had shift his gaze from her to the Baron. He was sensing something too.

"Did the clerk give you their names? Anything that could help us find them?" John asked.

The Baron kept looking at Irene and them went to his bed sitting by the side of it.

"Smith, John and Jane. Probably fake names. The security tapes were taken, there's no image of them." The security guard next to Sherlock said.

Sherlock looked at the way the security was positioned and realize something was definitely wrong.

"If you let us take this to the police they can help us track them down." John said.

"That would ruin my reputation." The Baron said beaten. "No, I have to do what they said."

"What who said?" Sherlock asked noticing the small movements of the security men.

The Baron opened the drawer of the bedside table and take a small pistol, pointing it to Irene.

Before anyone can make a movement the two security guards pull their weapons and point them to Sherlock and John, ordering them to don't move.

"I'm sorry, Miss Adler." The Baron said standing up and walking closer to her. "I don't know what is going on, but I need my diamond back."

"I don't have your diamond." Irene said alert, without understanding herself what was going on. "Sherlock just told you who stole it. It wasn't me."

"I need my diamond back." The baron repeated. "And for that to happen, you need to die."


	10. Chapter 10

Having a gun pointed at you makes the adrenaline sharpen all your instincts, making you ready to run of fight. Irene considered her position and realized neither would probably guarantee her survival.

Besides the Baron, pointing a 9mm pistol to her heart - he was pointing more to her stomach, but that would hurt and most likely kill her too -, the three security guards were pointing their own guns with silencers to Sherlock and Jon's heads.

"I don't see how killing me would get your diamond, Ivan." She said, sipping her wine again, and looking astonishingly not scared.

The Baron stepped closer. "That's what the message the Smiths' left me said." He said with a trembling voice. "Kill Irene Adler and I'll give you your diamond back."

A spark of understanding lightened Sherlock's face and he looked at Irene. "You weren't running because you had the diamond. You were running from whoever stole it. Who is it?"

"Not now, Sherlock." She said, without taking her eyes from the Baron and his gun.

"You're not seriously going to kill the three of us here. People saw us coming up." John said.

"As my man said, there's no security tapes and the only one who saw the two of you coming up was one clerk. You assured me you were discreet about this meeting, weren't you Mr. Holmes? I assure you that once I have my diamond back I can buy that clerk's silence and if that isn't the case, well, I'm already damned, aren't I?"

Sherlock didn't answer, only calculated the position of the men around him and John. The probability of a successful outcome was flimsy, but worth a try. It would depend on Irene's capability of overcoming the Baron, though. Knowing her, he was sure it wouldn't be a problem.

"I'm sorry about this, I can guarantee you I had no intention of hurting you Mr. Holmes when I called. I received an indication of your blog, Dr. Watson, and thought you could help me. I see now that I'm being used in a more sinister kind of game that I don't want to be part of. I have no choice though." He said, cocking his gun and putting it behind a pillow to mask the sound.

"He's not going to give your diamond back." She said. "He's bluffing to get me killed. What guarantees do you have you won't be left with three bodies to dispose of and no diamond. Don't be stupid, just think."

The Baron took a deep breath and though for a few moments.

"What do you propose we do then Miss Adler?"

"Offer him a trade. Buy us time to find your diamond and maybe catch him."

"He said he doesn't like to get his hands dirty. The deal is your body for the diamond." The Baron said taking one last step on her direction. "I have until tomorrow to deliver or he'll go public with the robbery and I will never see it again. What guarantees do I have that you even can catch him?"

Irene looked at Sherlock for help. He moved his eyes quickly from her to the gun on the Baron's hand to the guard on his left. She nodded. It was a crazy idea, but it was better than nothing.

"You have me, Baron. I guarantee you'll have your diamond back today." Sherlock said.

"You're very confident Mr. Holmes, but I can't risk it. No, no I have my reputation. I'm sorry. Kill them all."

On that cue, Irene threw the rest of the wine she had in her the glass on the Baron's face. He closed his eyes surprised and shot, missing her and hitting the mirror behind her.

At the same time, Sherlock and John moved, trying to grab the gun from the guards closer to them, who were taken by surprise by Irene's action.

While the Baron cleaned his face, trying to see again, Irene jumped him and broke the glass on the right side of his head, grabbing his arm and the gun from his hand, pointing it to the guard on the left of Sherlock and shooting him in the heart, before he could shoot Sherlock.

The Baron tried to get hold of his gun again but Irene put a knee on his crotch, making him fall to the ground with a loud moan.

Meanwhile, Sherlock had managed to take the gun from his guard and hit him in the back of the head with it making him fall unconscious to the ground.

He and Irene now pointed their guns to the guard John was still fighting.

"Drop it." Sherlock said getting closer and putting the gun on the guard's head. He let go of John and raised his hands. Sherlock took his gun than hit him, knocking him down.

John checked the three guards. "This two are down. This one is dead." He said than looked to Irene.

"It was self defense Dr." She said in her defense, then looked at Sherlock. "Do you believe me now?" She asked.

He looked at her untouched. "Who wants you dead?"

She ignored him and turned to the Baron, who was still moaning on the floor. "No wonder you lost all your fortune. You're as dumb as a doorknob, aren't you? But I'll be nice with you. We can still make a deal to get your diamond back."

The Baron stopped to listen to her.

"Are you crazy?" John said surprised. "He just tried to kill us all. I think we should call the police.

Irene looked at John. "Calling the police is in no one's interest, John." Then she looked at Sherlock.

He stared at her for a while, keeping his guard up. She was smiling to him and that was always a sign of danger. He kept his distance controlling an unexplainable impulse to hold her. He was sure it was the adrenaline from the fight.

"I'm waiting." He said.

Irene sighed. "I'll give you a clue. He's your fan."

A sting on the back of his neck took Sherlock by surprise, because it came before his brain had finished to sort the information out: Moriarty was behind the stolen diamond and Irene's attempt of murder.

Then the Baron's cell phone began to ring.


	11. Chapter 11

They all turned to the Baron, who stood motionless looking back at them. After a few rings the sound stopped.

Then Irene's phone began to ring inside her purse. "Mind if I take that?" She asked a little annoyed walking to the couch to get it.

"Put it on speaker." Sherlock said.

She giggled as if he had said something funny and answered the call without putting it on speaker.

"Who's overreacting now?" she asked to the phone.

"Did I get on your good graces?" Moriaty's voice was playful on the other side.

"Will that make you stop?"

"Hmmmmm…. Not really. In fact, I would be a little disappointed if it was that easy. I like watching you trying to escape me. It's adorable how you think you have any chance."

"What if I changed the game a little, would you like that?" She looked at Sherlock and smiled. "After all, you also didn't kill you second favorite play thing."

There was a pause and she heard him sigh.

"Oh I know all about you and Sherlock. Who do you think e-mailed the Baron John's blog? I got to say I'm surprised. I didn't think any woman could make him have a hard on. But then again, you're not any woman, are you? Tell me, is he better than me?"

"I can tell you he can also make me scream and he doesn't even have to use his teeth for that." She said, winking to Sherlock with a smile and seeing his expression hardening.

"No teeth? What's the fun in that?" He asked, enjoying himself a little too much, for her taste.

Sherlock got impatient and tried not to give in to the thought that what was bothering him the most was the way she was talking to Moriarty. The intimacy in her tone just gave his imagination even more fuel and he felt another sting on the back of his neck that he chose to ignore. "Give me the phone." He ordered.

Irene moved and prevented him from taking it. "I can handle this, Sherlock." She said.

"Can you? Why were you running away then?" He asked accusingly.

"That was my way of handling it and you blew it. Now I have to think of something else, don't I?" Then she turned to the phone again. "I will give him everything I know about you and then we could turn this game around. Think you won't have time to worry about me with him breathing down your neck."

The laugh on the other side of the phone was really loud and even John could hear it. "You think you know anything that could threaten me?"

"Oh and you think you know everything I know. I have some tricks up my sleeve, hon. Things that not even you know about. So, you better back up if you don't want to figure out you're not as almighty as you think."

"All right, love, I call your bluff. Tell Sherlock everything you want. Let's see if he catches me before I catch you." He said and hung up the phone.

She sighed, worried. "Well, that didn't work as well as I thought." She said to Sherlock. "I guess he really doesn't believe you can catch him."

Sherlock grabbed her arm and made her look to him. "What do you know about him?" He demanded.

She smiled. "You need to back up too if you want me to tell you anything."

He went crazy with her answer and grabbed her by the neck. "Tell me what do you know. Now." He screamed pressing her neck hard and seeing the color on her face change.

She debated herself trying to get free from his grip, but he was too strong.

John ran to him and tried to make him stop. "Sherlock, stop. You're choking her."

Sherlock looked intensely into her eyes and let go, letting her fall to the ground coughing and grasping for air. He turned around and placed his hands on his face, sighing deeply and regaining the control over himself.

While that was happening, the Baron had taken advantage of they're distraction and crawled back to the door of another room, trying to conceal himself inside. When he heard the footsteps outside he decided to risk it. "HELP. HELP." He screamed to the noise outside.

The footsteps became closer and faster and there was a knock on the door and a calling from another one of the Baron's security.

John looked at Sherlock and Irene. "What do we do now?"

"There's a back door." Sherlock said and ran to the adjoining room. Irene and John followed. They exit through the side corridor the same time the entrance door was kicked opened by the security guards.

John shot their way and ran with after Sherlock and Irene down the service stairs. They were chased down to the street but were able lost the guards after some time.


End file.
